I and My Annabel Lee (Daryl X OC)
by aven91
Summary: Childhood friends torn apart by family values are brought back together in the end times as Walkers roam the earth threatening humanity. Daryl X OC Rated M for sexual content, language and other situations
1. Chapter 1

-5 year old Annabel & 7 year old Daryl-

A seven year old Daryl watched out of his window as people started moving into the house next door. It was just the moving company for now and he hoped for a family with children so he could have someone new to play with. He was excited to see a new face. He waited patiently waiting for something to happen. He hoped it was a family with a boy. He watched as a minivan pulled in with a truck behind that. He could see a kid sitting in the seat of the truck next to what he assumed was the father.

The doors opened and Daryl got closer to the window to see the family. A mother and father got out of the truck, but the child that got out on the other side hadn't appeared yet from around the truck. To say he was disappointed when he saw it was a girl that came around the other side of the truck was an understatement. He grumbled crossing his arms over his chest watching down at the little girl as she smiled looking around at her new home.

She stopped and looked up into the window where Daryl was watching her. She smiled and waved at him, but he didn't move. She frowned, but she didn't have enough time to worry about her little watcher as her dad came and picked her up and swung her around kissing her cheek. She giggled wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek too.

"How do you like your new house, baby girl?" he asked looking at the house.

"I love it, daddy! It's wonderful! It's a lot better than our old place." He put her down and told her to run into the house and find her room. She nodded, but looked back up into the window where the little boy was, but he was gone. She narrowed her eyes, then ran into the house. She ran upstairs hoping her window faced the little boy's room so she could try to say hi to him again. She knew she had found her room when she found a light purple colored room. Her mother suggested that purple was her favorite color even though it was green just like the color of her father's camoflauge suits he wore to go hunting.

Her bed was already set up, but she didn't like where it was. She was going to ask her father to help her move it whenever the movers left. She didn't want them to feel bad for moving her bed into the wrong place. There was bags and boxes all over her room. She wanted to start unpacking, but what she really wanted to do was say hi to that little boy next door. Her mother said it was important for her to make friends as soon as possible so she could fit in sooner. Her father didn't think it mattered too much since it was the beginning of summer and she was going to be spending most of her time in the woods alone.

"Annabel! Come on, dinner!" her mother yelled from downstairs. Annabel dropped whatever she was doing and ran downstairs to eat. She was starving. Hopefully she wouldn't be eating fast food for the rest of her life.

As soon as dinner was over, Annabel was dragging her father out back so he could take her into the woods. It was only about five o'clock giving them plenty of time to explore. Behind all of the houses lined up their side of the road was a huge patch of forest and Annabel was determined to know them. She carried her pellet gun to kill squirrels and rabbits. Her mother hated eating squirrels and rabbits, but she still made them for Annabel and her father.

They walked through the woods quietly, searching the ground for tracks of any kind of animal. They mainly found tracks of kids who go and play int he woods around the outskirts, most likely at their parents request, but the farther they went in, they thinned out more and more until there was nothing left but Annabelle, her father, and the animals. They moved slowly, watching all around them with each step they took. They heard a shuffle in the leaves near them and Annabel aimed her gun towards the sound, but the boy next door came out of the brush.

"It's you," Annabel exclaimed pointing a finger at him. The boy just stared at them. Annabel smiled at him. "I'm Annabel Lee Simms. What's your name?"

"Daryl," was all he said. He turned and walked away from them. Annabel looked at her father who shrugged. Forgetting about their little encounter, they kept searching for some type of rodent to kill.

A couple hours later, they emerged out of the woods with six squirrels and two rabbits. They hung from small ropes and were draped over Annabel's father's shoulders. They walked into the shed out back of their house to skin and gut the animals. Not too long after, they heard screaming next door. They couldn't make out what was being said, but they knew it was a fight between the married couple.

"I feel sorry for Daryl," Annabel whispered to her dad. Her dad just looked down at her. They finished their work in silence.

-The next day-

Annabel was up with the sun already dressed in her daily clothes, ready to go back out into the woods and find herself a good hiding spot. She liked to find places where she could hide just in case she needed to get away. It had to be perfect. In a tree, in a hole, somewhere. She normally hid the skulls of the animals she killed in this place because her mother didn't allow her to keep trophys. She said it was strange for a girl to want to kill things then keep something of them as a trophy. Her father defended her saying it was just where he kept the heads and such from the animals he killed and put them on the wall. Her mother just said it wasn't lady like and she was raising a lady.

Annabel ran through the woods keeping her gun in her hand ready to kill anything that ran across her path while keeping an eye out for anywhere she could call her own.

"Hey!" someone screamed from somewhere above her. Annabel stopped dead in her tracks looking up where the voice came from. Daryl climbed down the tree quickly as if he had done it a million times before. Annabel watched in awe at the ease he was moving.

"You gotta teach me how to do that!" Annabel said walking over to him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked glaring at her. Annabel shyed away from him unsure of how to react to that. She had tried nothing but to be nice to him and all he ever did was be rude.

"I'm trying to find somewhere to hide my trophys," she said a little ashamed. For the first time ever, she was afraid that someone, other than her mother, would call her weird and unladylike.

"Trophys?" Daryl asked giving her a strange look. She nodded her head reaching in a little pack hanging over her shoulder and pulled out a rabbit skull from one of the rabbit she killed the day before.

"My mom won't let me keep them in the house. She throws them away."

"Come on, I'll show you a place." Annabel smiled as big as she could and followed behind him as he walked through the woods.

"Can you show me how to climb a tree like that?" Daryl looked over at her as she caught up to him.

"Yeah," he said slowly.


	2. Chapter 2

-10 year old Annabel & 12 year old Daryl-

Sunday morning rolled around and it was time for church. But it wasn't just going to be Annabel and her family. Oh no, Daryl was coming too. He had agreed to go with them just to get Annabel to leave him alone. She ran out of her house wearing a baby blue dress with little flowers all over it and little white slip on shoes. She ran across her yard, into Daryl's and went straight into the house without even knocking.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Dixon!" she yelled throughout the house.

"Good morning, Annabel!" Mrs. Dixon called back. Annabel doubted Mr. Dixon was even out of bed. Saturday nights always consisted of him bar hoping to every bar in town and rolling in drunk around five in the morning. She ran upstairs, but once she reached the top, she bumped into Merle. Annabel would've fallen over if it wasn't for Merle catching her.

"Easy there, little lady. You after Daryl?" he said not letting her go until he was sure she had her balance.

"Yeah, he's going to church with us today. You want to come too?"

"I don't know how you managed to talk my little brother into going to church, but that's not me. Thanks though. He's still asleep." Annabel huffed crossing her arms.

"That butt hole promised he'd go!" she hissed walking into his bedroom. Sure enough, Daryl was still asleep on his stomach hugging his pillow. Merle walked into his room behind her with his arms crossed.

"He promised you, huh?" Annabel nodded climbing onto the bed sitting next to Daryl. First, she would try a nice tactic onto getting him out of bed. She poked his back whispering his name. He moaned, grabbing his blanket, and put it over his head. Then, she would try to be a little blunter. She smacked him rather hard on the back.

"Leave... me... alone." Annabel looked up at Merle who moved his way over to the side of the bed. He grabbed her hand and slid her off and whispered for her to help him. She nodded as he bent over and grabbed the mattress with his hands. Annabel followed suit.

"Daryl, you better get up. You promised the little lady." He moaned curling up into a ball on his side. "Suit yourself." Merle looked to Annabel and silently counted to three with her. He threw the mattress over knocking Daryl literally out of bed. He landed on the ground and started screaming at them. "Sorry, little brother, you made a promise, you need to keep it."

"Fine!" he yelled getting up. He took off his shirt and pulled open a drawer pulling out the nicest shirt he had, which wasn't all that nice. He turned to Annabel and told her to get out and she ran out of his room because he was already taking off his pants. She didn't want to see that. She thanked Merle who just winked at her and headed downstairs to do whatever it was that Merle did in the mornings.

Daryl moved out of his bedroom and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Annabel leaned up against the wall on the other side of the open bathroom door smiling at him. He wasn't happy. She had learned real quickly that he wasn't much of a morning person. He stopped brushing his teeth in mid brush looking out at her. He rolled his eyes and shut the door on her. She giggled and ran downstairs hopping up onto a chair at the bar that separated the kitchen and living room watching Daryl's mother move around the kitchen cooking and cleaning.

"How'd you do it?" Mrs. Dixon asked glancing at Annabel out of the corner of her eye. She picked up a rag and started wiping off the counter. Annabel started picking up the decorations on the counter in front of her so she could wipe under them.

"I wouldn't leave him alone until he said yes." Daryl's mother laughed. Before too long, Daryl came down the stairs carrying his shoes. He sat down on the couch and put them on staring at Annabel as she helped his mother clean up the kitchen a little bit. She wiped down counters and the table and helped put up the pots and pans from last night's dinner. He couldn't help but grin and shake his head at her. She was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it.

Daryl stood up and walked into the kitchen after his shoes were on and told Annabel she was ready to leave. They ran out of the house and into hers.

"Daryl's ready!" Annabel said as she ran into the house. Annabel's mother and father looked at Daryl and smiled. Daryl became a little embarrassed since they were dressed so nicely and he just wore a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. They were lead out of the house and put into the car and started on their way to the church.

Daryl sat annoyed beside Annabel as the preacher began to speak. Annabel didn't like going to the children's church they held while the preacher spoke because all they did was color and play outside. She came to church to hear what the preacher had to say. Every week she was touched by something he said to her. Whether it be, "Love thy neighbor", or "Do unto others as you would want for them to do unto you". She didn't learn that in children's church.

Daryl tried to ignore most of what the preacher was saying, but his booming voice made it so hard. Finally, he gave in and started listening. He had to admit, he liked what the preacher was saying. He actually started enjoying himself. People were raising their hands with their eyes closed. Whispering Amen and Hallelujahs.

After church, Annabel's parents took them out to eat at a small diner as it was their tradition after church. They sat in the same booth as they always did and Annabel ordered the same thing she always did, a cheeseburger with French fries and chocolate covered strawberries as a side. Daryl had the same thing without the strawberries.

Annabel went along talking to Daryl about how she wanted to go hunting after they got home. Annabel's mother just rolled her eyes, but said nothing as Daryl talked about a new area he had discovered a few days before that was crawling with squirrels and rabbits.

After lunch, they headed home. Daryl and Annabel talked and laughed in the back seat and played car games like punch buggy and hot hands. Annabel's father stopped at a red light and waited for it to turn green. As it turned green, Annabel's father pushed on the gas pedal to go. Annabel heard Daryl scream her name and felt hands on her then heard a loud crash. She felt the car jerk, but she wasn't sure why. She heard her mother screaming, but that was the last thing she heard before she blacked out.

She woke up in a white room and in a panic. She started moving around trying to grab at things that she could feel inside her nose and her arms. Someone grabbed her shoulders, trying to calm her down, but she couldn't hear anything the person was saying. She reached for the things in her nose and tried to rip them out. She heard a beeping noise that seemed to be in perfect sync with her heart. She didn't know where she was and all she knew was that she wanted her mommy.

It took the doctors and nurses around thirty minutes and a light sedative before she finally calmed down. She just sat there staring around the room. She finally figured out that she was in a hospital room. She asked the doctor what had happened, but he just put his hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"Just get some rest, child. You need your rest."

"Where's my mommy and daddy?" she whispered tears working their way into her eyes once more. He just gave a sad smile and put more sedatives into her IV. She was soon back to sleep.

She woke up again when her father was gently shaking her shoulder. She could smell something like food and her stomach tightened letting her know that she was hungry. She opened her eyes slowly and seen her father standing above her. She smiled at him and he kissed her head.

"Where's mommy and Daryl?" her father just grinned and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Daryl's in the next room," was all he said. Annabel narrowed her eyes.

"Where's mommy?" Her father sighed and moved to where he was sitting on the edge of the bed. He grabbed her hand and played with her fingers. She could feel him shaking in her hand.

"Your mommy didn't make it. The person who hit us crushed her side of the car. You'd be with her right now if Daryl didn't save you." Tears work up in her eyes and she started sobbing. Her mother was gone. How was she going to live now that her mother was gone? Her mother was the one who took care of her and her father. She couldn't imagine her life without her mother. She already missed her. She already missed her touch, her smile and the way her hair felt after it was brushed.


	3. Chapter 3

-14 year old Annabel & 16 year old Daryl-

Daryl and Annabel sat in their spot where they put all their trophies to hide them away from everyone else. This had become their spot for the first moment Daryl showed it to her many years before. It was where they met every day after school, church chores, everything. They would spend day in and day out with each other. They each knew each other's secrets. They each knew everything about the other. Daryl would do anything for her and Annabel would do anything for him. They had a wonderful friendship.

Annabel still missed her mother greatly, but Daryl never talked to her about it because Annabel would just shy away and Daryl didn't like it when she did that. Daryl had lost his mother a year before and it still hurt him just as much as it did when he first lost her so he could only imagine the way it felt after so long for Annabel. He knew she really didn't act the way her mother wanted to, but they still loved each other with that undying love that mothers and daughters share.

"Daryl?" Annabel whispered making sure he couldn't see her face as she messed with the skulls sitting up on rocks stacked into make-shift shelves. Daryl looked over at her. "Have you ever been kissed before?" Daryl felt his face turn red. Why would she ask such a question?

"That's none of your business," he said grabbing a skull off one of the rocks and began twisting it in his hands.

"I know. I was just curious." They sat in silence for the longest time before Annabel spoke up again. "I've never been kissed. I want to save my first kiss for someone special to me. Someone that means a lot to me." She turned to face him, her face red in embarrassment. "Someone like you." Daryl shot a look up at her.

"Are you serious?"

"Who better to share my first kiss with than my own best friend? I don't trust anyone but you. Please, Daryl?" Daryl stood up and walked over to her, his cheeks still red.

"Why is it so important that you be kissed?"

"Because I'm fourteen and I've never been kissed. At this rate, I'll never be kissed." Daryl grinned at her.

"Are you ready?" Annabel wasn't so sure she wanted to do this anymore. Her hands felt clammy. Her heart was racing. She felt weak in the knees. Daryl raised his hands and brushed some hair out of her eyes. He lowered his face to hers slowly touching his lips to hers. Little shockwaves went through her body as she tensed. She had imagined how her first kiss would be, but she wasn't expecting it to be like this. His lips were surprisingly soft. She had always figured they'd be just as rough as he was.

Her stomach felt like it was on fire, her legs felt weak. She wasn't sure if it was where she was so nervous, or it was just that good of a kiss. She had never been kissed before to know. She had watched plenty of movies where people had kissed and she thought of those and about how the woman would stand there for a short time, then put her arms behind the man's neck so she could hold him tighter against her, so that's what she did.

When their bodies touched, Annabel felt as if she was going to pass out. She had decided that it was the kiss making her weak in the knees. She broke the kiss and stepped away from him. She had to catch her breath. She looked up at Daryl who was grinning at her. She grinned as heat went straight to her cheeks and looked down again.

"Was it what you were expecting?" he asked. Annabel looked up at him again, her embarrassment gone. She threw herself at him wrapping her arms around his neck again. She kissed him again with all the force that she could. Daryl caught her wrapping his arms around her waist, and then lifted his hands to the back of her head gripping her hair in his hands. They broke the kiss and backed away from each other.

"Come on, it's pretty late. We'd better get home," Daryl said holding out his hand. Annabel stepped forward taking his hand in hers and they walked back to their houses. They didn't say anything. They couldn't think of anything to say to each other. Annabel didn't know how to go about this. Were they dating yet? Were they officially boyfriend and girlfriend? What would happen to their relationship now? Was this going to be the last time they seen each other? Would Daryl hate her after this? She was only fourteen. He was sixteen. He was a man; she was nothing but a little girl. There was no way he could care for her.

She cared about Daryl way too much to lose him over something like this. She was starting to worry about this now. She had ruined everything between them. Daryl was the only thing keeping her pinned to this earth right now. Her father had turned into a depressed fiend who drank too much and not much else. He went to work, but he even drank there. He had opened his own business selling outdoor equipment. Considering the area, they were doing very well. Annabel had fallen into her own depression, but Daryl had helped her through it.

She knew he cared for her, but to what extent? She was terrified that she was going to lose her one and only friend. She wouldn't know how to deal with herself if Daryl just stopped being with her. They were together every day all day. She stopped dead in her tracks looking over at Daryl. He stopped a little ahead of her then turned back to her.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"What happens now, Daryl? Are we… still friends?" Daryl smiled and stepped to her. He touched his lips to hers once more.

"Of course we are."

Annabel smiled.

She liked the way that sounded.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: This chapter contains slight sexual content.**

-Annabel 15 & Daryl 17-

The day was hot. Too hot even for a Georgia summer day. That didn't matter however because Daryl and Annabel had just gotten their fishing licence and were set on going to the lake. The lake was a good ten miles from their homes, but that didn't matter since Daryl had just bought himself a new truck a few weeks before for nine hundred dollars. There was a few things wrong with it, but Daryl and Merle worked on it and it ran fine. It was a black Chevy with no crew cab.

Since their kiss from the year before, they had kissed again, but normally they were drunk or high or something along the lines of that. Annabel didn't mind it though, Daryl was a very good kisser. It never went passed that, Annabel made sure of that. They were just friends and she wasn't going to give him anymore. He acted like he wanted it, but that didn't matter to her, she wasn't going to have her first time be a random impulse of a drunken/drug induced night.

They had nothing more than a six pack of beer with them and they had the perfect place to be to fish so they wouldn't have to worry about getting caught. They had found it about six months before while hunting around the area. Water sources promised a great variety of kills.

They found the place to park and got out of the truck. Annabel grabbed the fishing poles and the tackle box while Daryl grabbed the beer. They found the opening to the path down to the spot they found and sat down on the bank. Annabel handed Daryl his fishing pole and sat the tackle in front of them so they both could get to it. The baited their hooks and tossed them out letting the bobber do the rest of the work. Daryl handed Annabel a beer. She really didn't like the taste of the beer, but she drank it for fear of Daryl thinking different of her. She normally only had two before she let Daryl have the rest.

They sat in their normal comfortable silence enjoying the sight of the lake before them. The water sparkled like diamonds and small waves were pushing their way up on shore. There weren't hardly any boats around here since a lot of people didn't realize this was back here. You had to maneuver your way through trees that were growing up through the water. A lot of people didn't like doing that for fear of the trees breaking their propellers.

Annabel had finished her second beer and wasn't wanting anymore so she let Daryl have her last one. He happily took it. He knew she didn't like drinking beer, but he also knew she didn't want him to know so he kept it that way. She leaned back on her hands putting her feet out in front of her. Daryl looked over at her and had to do a double take. He looked down her body. Each day she just got more and more beautiful.

Her breasts had developed very nicely and he knew she knew it because she was always sure to show them off with tight, low cut shirts. Today she was wearing a white tank top with a black bra under it accenting the way her breasts were. Her legs and body were perfect, curves in all the right places. She leaned her head back which in turn pushed her chest out a little more.

Daryl's palms began to sweat. He had to touch her. Had to taste her. And he knew how get her started.

Annabel sat there and looked over to Daryl. He was leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. He stared out over the water. The reflection of the water had nothing on his eyes. His tanned skin covered muscles that rippled all over his body. She had to touch him. Had to taste him. And she knew how to get him started.

Daryl bumped his shoulder into hers, making her arm buckle and she almost fell on her back. She playfully glared at him and nudged him back. They kept getting to be harder nudges until Annabel got tired of this and tackled him. They wrestled around until Daryl ended up on top of her with her hands trapped above her head. Their laughter slowly died down as they stared into each other's eyes. Daryl lowered his head a little offering his lips to hers, but he wouldn't force her into it.

She smiled knowing what was going on and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him the rest of the way to her. Their lips crashed together roughly and Daryl immediately had to have all of her taste in his mouth so he shoved his tongue in her mouth. This shocked Annabel as he had never acted like that before. He normally took everything nice and slow. She didn't mind though, it was a nice change.

He ran his hands down her sides sending tingles all over her body. Annabel felt a certain feeling she had grown accustomed to when they had these little moments that started in between her legs and worked its way up into her stomach. She knew what it was, but she would never act on that feeling. Daryl wanted more. He needed more. He wanted to touch her. Touch her in a place that he had never touched her before.

He had to know if she wanted it though. He didn't want to try to and get pushed away like he did every time. He thought he needed to go about this in a different way. He pushed his hips against hers making her moan into his mouth. That sound was the best sound that had ever come out of her mouth. It made him want it more than ever now. He wanted her to make that sound. He pushed his hips against his hers again earning another moan from her.

It wasn't enough. He wanted that sound to come out of her constantly. He slid off her slowly putting his hand on her stomach. He pushed her shirt up a little rubbing his finger tips across her skin moving a little lower each time. Annabel broke their kiss smiling at him. He stopped his hand right onto of the button of her cut off shorts that secretly drove Daryl crazy. He stared in her eyes asking permission.

She bit her lip and nodded her head gently. Daryl planted his lips on hers again and started fumbling with the button on her shorts. Once they were unbuttoned he started pushing them down. Annabel panicked and grabbed his wrists unsure of what he was doing. She wasn't going to have sex with him. Daryl looked her in the eyes and shushed her quietly.

"Trust me," he whispered. Annabel nodded. She knew Daryl wouldn't make her do anything she didn't want to do. Daryl pushed her shorts and underwear down to her knees never taking his eyes off her. The lower her shorts got, the redder her cheeks got. Daryl knew this made her uncomfortable and he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"No, Daryl, it's fine. You can look," she whispered. Daryl looked down slowly. He had always imagined what she looked like down there, he had thought about it, but in the end, he decided that he didn't care, just as long as he got it. She had recently shaved her pubic area leaving just one small spot above her clitoris and it nearly drove Daryl over the edge.

He ran his hand over it feeling an immense heat coming from her untouched opening. He wasn't sure if he could do this. He wanted to so bad, but he wasn't sure if he could control himself. He had been waiting for this for a long time. He wanted her in more ways than one, but he knew Annabel wouldn't go for it because they were just friends. He felt the need go away a little, but then he realized that she was still there and decided to keep going.

He slid one finger in between her slits feeling the warm wetness of her need. More doubt filled his brain. He slid a finger inside watching her reaction. He could clearly see that she didn't know how to react.

The feeling washed over her slowly. She could feel the roughness of his finger as it went deeper and deeper inside her and the deeper and deeper he went the more and more if felt amazing.

She couldn't help but let a little sound escape. Daryl took that as a sign to keep going. Withdrawing his finger, he slid another one in. This feeling was more intense and felt even more wonderful. He started moving a little faster watching for her reaction. She arched her back a little moaning a little louder. That was it, Daryl had to hear her scream. That was the only thing he wanted right now. He went faster and harder making her writhe.

She couldn't believe this feeling. It was the most amazing thing she had ever felt in her life. Why hadn't she wanted this before? Then something was happening. She could feel it deep in her pit. Something big was going to happen. She couldn't hold it in anymore. Her toes curled, her hands clenched into fists. This fire needed to be released. It had to happen. She couldn't hold it back anymore.

"DARYL!" she screamed arching her back and bringing her legs up. Daryl stood up quickly leaving her there confused. She looked up at him seeing his excitement nearly bursting through his pants. He turned and walked away heading through the trees. Annabel didn't know what just happened. Why would he do that? That was absolutely amazing. She had never felt that before and she couldn't wait to feel it again.

She stood up, pulling her underwear and shorts up and walked through the trees following after him. She had to know what was going on. Fear gripped her heart as she figured she had done something wrong and it upset Daryl enough to leave. She hoped it wouldn't effect their friendship.

She found him standing behind a tree with his pants open. His hand was down his pants as he relieved himself of the tension.

"Daryl?"

"Annabel!" he yelped startled.

"Why did you run?" she asked standing before him.

"Uh," he stammered looking down at his provocative position. "Isn't it obvious?" She grinned at him stepping closer.

"I was going to do that for you," she whispered. She pushed his pants down to his ankles and grabbed his shaft with her hand. She didn't dare look down for fear of blushing and embarrassing herself more than she was right now. She started stroking him gently getting a well deserved moan out of him. She picked up the pace to see what other sounds he could make. He gripped the tree behind him leaning his head back on it. His eyes were shut tight and she could see he was biting down hard. When he released, he grabbed her pulling her to him and slammed his lips to hers roughly. She could feel the warmth of the release running down her hands and even feel it forming on her stomach. She kept stroking until the flow stopped coming then stepped away from him. Daryl smiled at her.

He bent and picked his pants up putting them back on. Annabel looked down and seen his release all over her stomach and hand. She wasn't sure what to do. Was it rude to try to wipe it off? She looked down on Daryl's black shirt and seen that his release had gotten all over him too. There was no way they would be able to go home looking like this. Everyone would know what they had done. Daryl jerked her out of her thoughts when he came up and wrapped his arms around her kissing the top of her head.

"Still friends?" Daryl whispered. Annabel chuckled wrapping her arms around him.

"Still friends." Daryl pushed her away from him and lead her back to where they were fishing. They reeled in their lines to see that the bait had been eaten off. They didn't mind though.

"Come on, let's jump in to get this off us," Daryl suggested stepping into the water. Annabel smiled following him in.


	5. Chapter 5

-Annabel/16 yo Daryl/18 yo

Annabel had gotten a summer job at the outdoor shop her father had opened up shortly after her mother died. It was always his dream to own a shop like that, but her mother always said there was no money in it.

That was when she began to notice her father's drinking problem. He had a special water bottle with special "water" inside. Annabel pretended not to notice as she also noticed he tried to hide it from her. She knew he was going through a rough time. Hell, they both were.

Things had drastically changed since her mother had died. Annabel had felt obligated to do as her mother always done and became more lady-like. She threw out all of her old rags for clothes and started wearing the clothes her mother had bought her, just in case the "little girl inside ever wanted to show herself" as her mother used to put it.

Annabel had her mother's picture hanging on her mirror and whenever Annabel was dressed like a girl, the smile her mother had seemed to be bigger. That was when Annabel knew she was ready for the day.

Annabel's father had started teaching them about the fundamentals of archery. Annabel really didn't go for the whole archery thing like Daryl did. He was a natural. Especially with the crossbow.

Annabel wanted to just stick with her guns, but she knew her father enjoyed these interactions as they became fewer and fewer.

Whenever Merle decided it was time to stay out of jail for more than a couple hours, he was getting them drunk and high. It didn't take Merle long to realize that it didn't take much alcohol to manipulate the two. His favorite thing to do was hit on Annabel and watch Daryl squirm. He knew something was going on between them. He just wasn't sure how much. Merle always asked if she got his dick wet for him, but Daryl would just roll his eyes and go on about his business.

After work, Annabel went home and laid down on her bed. She sat there just staring at the went through her mind. She wasn't even sure what brought her there. She just felt like she needed to be alone. She felt fine, she just didn't want to be around anyone, Daryl most of all.

She knew if she didn't go see Daryl, he would come and see her. Mostlikely drunk since Merle had just gotten out of jail. She never really understood why, but Merle had a certain power over Daryl that she couldn't explain.

Annabel reached for a book of poetry that her mother used to read to her and began reading it again even though she already knew them by heart. Her mother read them to her in hope of it making Annabel a more refined lady.

She wasn't sure how rhyming would make her more refined, but she did love the poetry. Occasionally, she would read it to Daryl who said it was pretty stupid. She lost herself for hours in those words, forgetting everything. She didn't think about how her father was falling apart without his wife. She didn't think about the screaming next door, then Daryl's new scars and bruises. She didn't worry about Merle going to jail. Nothing went through her mind. She found it amazing and a little ironic how she found such peace through such dismal words.

Her peace came to an abrupt end when she heard something hit her window. She got out of bed and walked over to her window. Daryl stood next to Merle who had his piece of ass at the time hanging under his shoulder. She shook her head opening her window.

"What do you want?" she hissed.

"You to get down her, Little Lady!" Merle said holding up a beer bottle. She shook her head. She leaned a little out of her window to see in the driveway to see if her father was home. He must have come in when she zoned out. She slid out of her window onto the roof on their front porch and walked to the edge.

"Where's my father?" she whispered. Daryl shrugged.

"All the lights are off." Annabel readied herself and jumped the ten feet down. She rolled just like she always did and rubbed her knees that felt like they had been shot. Merle and Daryl helped her up.

"I swear, Little Lady you're not going to have legs by the time you're twenty." They made their way to the woods carrying beer and liquor. Annabel was sure they were going to be gone a while.

Daryl and Annabel led them away from their old secret spot. They still visited it on occasion, but not nearly as much as they used to. Tey reached a small, flat area with two old tents set up. One ofr Daryl and Annabel, the other for Merle and his sleaze. She wore a pretty smile and a pretty outfit, but Annabel could tell she was only there for one thing.

A fire was set in a fire pit surrounded by stones and Merle's party commenced. Daryl and Annabel drank so thay could sleep through the sounds that were going to be coming from the neighboring tent.

Annabel wasn't sure why Merle insisted they come with him on nights like this, but it was whatever. It used to gross her out, but it had been a couple years and this was just the way things were.

"Sing us a song, Annabel!" Merle called out. He only called her by her name when he was really drunk. She couldn't recall him taking a drink of the bottle of beer in his hand, but he was clearly already wasted. For some reason, Annabel could never tell him no, but that didn't mean she couldn't be a smartass.

"Row, row, row your boat-…"

"NO! Something good. Sing the one about you." She rolled her eyes. She heard the beat in her head and when her moment came, she began to sing Stevie Nick's "Annabel Lee". It seemed the entire forest around them fell silent so it could listen. The words fell smoothly and delicately off her lips and echoed away into the night.

Merle's piece of ass stared at her taking quick sips from her bottle every few seconds until it was gone. She reached for the bottle of liquor that sat behind Merle. She went to break the seal and everyone leapt for her shouting, "NO!" She dropped the bottle in fear.

"What the hell is your problem, girl?" Daryl snapped snatching up the bottle.

"Yeah, you almost ruined the whole night!" Annabel snapped. The poor girl didn't know what the hell was going on and looked like she was about to cry.

"Hey, come on you two, she didn't know. No need to get pissed," Merle defended to keep in her good graces, but it was very clear that he was still pissed.

"What did I do?" she whined in between them.

"You almost brought some bad juju down on all of us, darling," Annabel snapped. The girl looked up at Merle in confusion.

Daryl held out the bottle, seal still intact, then with his free hand touched the top of the lid with his index finger and middle finger. He turned his hand to Annabel who touched her fingers to the lid in the same manner. Then he held it to Merle who did the same. He then lowered to Merle's little play toy and everyone just stared at her.

She reached her hand up nervously looking at everyone who was glaring at her. The air was thick around her. She wasn't sure what was going to happen after this. Everyone looked like they wanted to slaughter her where she sat. She moved her fingers a little closer. She felt like an insect ready to be squashed by a giant boot. She lightly touched her fingers to the cap.

She nearly jumped out of her skin whenever everyone cheered. Daryl ripped off the cap and handed the bottle down to Merle's date.

"Here, you look like you need this." She didn't argue. She gripped the bottle taking a long swig off it.

"I'm way too stoned for this," she said as her eyes began to water from the whiskey. Everyone started laughing.

"Speaking of stoned," Merle said reaching in his pocket. He pulled out a sandwich baggy half way filled with weed. Annabel grabbed the bottle of liquor from the girl.

Tonight was going to be a long night.

Unfortunately, Annabel didn't get drunk enough to forget, or enough to sleep. Merle had went into his tent with his little play thing about ten minutes before and now the sounds of drunken bliss could be heard in the campsite. Daryl and Annabel sat side by side slowly shaking their heads. Daryl had the same goal as she, but he couldn't reach it as well.

He leaned his head forward with a heavy sigh.

"Want to go for a walk?" Annabel asked sensing his frustration. He stood up quickly not even giving an answer. Annabel followed suit just as quickly.

They walked away from the sounds until they were long gone. They staggered around, playfully pushing each other about completely forgetting the campsite. No matter what happened, Annabel realized, as long as they were together nothing else mattered.

That or she had smoked too much weed.

Suddenly too tired to go on, Annabel slid down a tree trunk. Daryl plopped down next to her. They looked up through the trees hoping for the stars, but the leaves were too thick. In the fall, they could see all the stars in the galaxy. There was so much she wanted to talk to Daryl about, but she didn't want to ruin a perfect night.

Every time they were alone, she wanted to ask him about his bruises she pretended not to see. She wanted to ask why he never seemed happy anymore. She watched him slip father and father away from her each day. She knew she was losing her only friend. She knew he would always be there for her, but she knew he wouldn't be there all the time.

Merle had finally talked Daryl into getting a fake ID which meant bar visits, which meant women, which meant that he was going to be interested in other things other than a hanging out with a girl who never gave him anything but hand jobs.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. Oh great, her buzz was gone.

**Author's Note: Wouldn't mind some feedback dudes. Tell me what you think. **


End file.
